Tyrone Mings may have successfully established himself in the Town team after being picked up from non-league Chippenham but he is still nowhere near achieving his long-term targets.
The powerful left-back doesn’t hold back when asked about his ambitions, explaining: "I want to play for the England U21s and then the senior England team. That’s my goal but, hey, that’s a long way in the future.
"Luke Shaw has just dropped into the U21s for the Croatia game so I think there’s a little bit of competition there!
"But there aren’t that many English left-footed and left-sided defenders in the Premier League, so if I can crack into the top flight it will always be my ambition to play international football.”
After attracting a £3 million bid from Crystal Palace at the end of August it is a safe bet that Mings, who also qualifies to play international football for Barbados via his grandparents, is under scrutiny on a regular basis, not only from club scouts but those acting on behalf of England U21 boss Gareth Southgate.
But he insisted: "I don’t really think about that. There are scouts at every single game I play in, whether they are watching me or someone else and I just happen to catch the eye. I don’t really think it makes a difference either way.
"It’s just part and parcel of playing well, being a new player on the block that no one’s ever heard of or seen play before. Now I am playing regularly it’s only natural, I guess.”
Mings has always been quick to attribute a lot of the credit for his progress to Town boss Mick McCarthy and assistant manager Terry Connor, as well as team-mates like Jay Tabb and Cole Skuse.
He added: "Playing with Tabby has definitely helped me. I think he does a lot of work that goes unnoticed, as does Cole, so to have them in the team when I go forward does help. It’s the same on the other side when Jonny [Parr] does as well.
"I wasn’t worried when Jonny came in because I always knew the manager would sign another left-back. You can’t go a whole season with just one.
"But when Jonny came in he had to wait his turn, then he got his chance at Derby when Chambo got injured. We shifted around again, then settled down and I think Jonny has found himself in a different position to what he expected to play when he first arrived.
"He’s obviously doing very well and the whole back four is really settled at the moment. It’s a vocal back four and for me playing next to Christophe is also a big help.
"He’s obviously very experienced and probably one of our standout players this season, if not the standout player, so to have him coaching me and helping me through games at such an early point in my development is definitely a good thing for me.”